Alarm device



' Feb. 13, 1940. MacPHERSON 2,190,533

ALARM DEVICE Filed June 29, 1939 INVENTOR A? ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 13, 1940 t I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALARM DEVICE Benjamin F. MacPherson, San Francisco, Calif. Application June 29, 1939, Serial No. 281,970

3 Claims. (01. 161-22) This invention relates to improvements in In order to facilitate a fuller and more comalarm devices and especially is concerned with a plete understanding of the matter of the presnew and improved substantially silent alarm deent invention a specific embodiment thereof vice useful in arousing the sleeping deaf or for herein illustrated will be hereinafter described,

5 other similar purposes where silent alarm for it being clearly understood, however, that'the il- 5 arousing sleepers is to be preferred. lustrated embodiment, although presently pre- It is an object of the present invention to ferred, is provided solely by way of example of provide a silent alarm device which can be the practice of this invention and not by way of mounted near a sleepers bed and which, when limitation thereof except insofar as the invenfunctioning, will serve not unpleasantly to arouse tion is recited in the subjoined claims. the sleeper without discomfort, noise or shock. Referring then to the drawing, I

Another object of the present invention is to Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the provide an alarm device comprising means for preferred embodiment ofthe present invention physically annoying a sleeper whereby arousing in use,

the sleeper but doing so in a manner which does Fig. 2 is essentially a Side elevatiohel View o 15 not promote the sleepers discomfort and which the presently preferred embodiment of the inmay function irrespective of the position occu- S a i en on, d pied by a sleeper on the bed and also irrespec- Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the detive of the locality of ,the bed wherein the sleeper vice shown in the forego figuresrests. Referring now especially to Figs. 1 and 2, it

Another object of this invention is to prowill be noted that the alarm ev c generally vide in an alarm device a source of continuous designate by the numeral 0 o p se an annoyance to a sleeper whereby the Sleeper efsentially upright standard il having attached .fectually is aroused but preferably is aroused near e bottom portion thereof arms neither with suddenness nor with shock. Tying r d r w 3 iv in pp A feature of the device according to the instant p in s m d in the a s 12 end provided invention is its simplicity of construction and with Clamp faces and w nuts I30, f facilof operation which, firstly, suits it n t th itating rotation of the screws. It will be evident requirements of mass production, and which, sect the arms, together with the Screws, p ondly, diminishes the'likelihood of failure during v de c amps b mea o which e bo to p use and the cost of repair, tion Ila of the standard ll may be clamped An advantage of the novel la m devi upon side parts of the bed A for holding the cording to the instant invention is that the porstandard in essentially u t p t n adjacent tions of the device which come in physical conthe Side of the tact with the person to be awakened may be re- A ic y sw i m m e 4 mounted at moved from the device for purposes of sterilizaone end of the Central Portion of the Standtion or treatment. ard II by means including the hinge elements l5 Other objects, advantages and features of the extends horizontally o a y from e t dnovel device according to this invention will be ard essentially as Shown being pp e in 40 apparent to those skilled in this art during the horizontal position by me of the Projecting 0 course of the following description, bracket Hi attached to the standard beneath the Regarded in certain of its broader aspects the Place of mounting of the member substantially silent device according to the presd y e e d e s H a e o d n the ent invention comprises an upright standard atu d -sur a of th member I4 as by m ans f 1 tachable to side portions of the bed and carrying hooks and o p where, d, t ol e 40 in centrally located parts thereof a pivotally y be removed for at on- I mounted vertically swinging member carrying Arelatively inextensible substantially flexible ticklers which, when the member is in lowered or cable attached to distal parts of the member in essentially horizontal position, overlie the l. as for instance by means of the eye l9, passes portions of the bed normally occupied by the upwardly through a e y ot ta p y 0 head of the sleeper, thereby doing annoyance to m un ed pon-th pp portion Ilc 0f the standand causing the awakening of a sleeper in said ard ll-and is wound about and attached to a bed, and time controlled means for lowering said sp l Z o t l Periodically y the clock 22 member from raised into horizontal position at a mounted on the shelf 23. Latch means 24, Such preselected time. as a conventional hook and eye, are provided for holding the member I 4 in raised position as shown in phantom in Fig. 2.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the present invention, its mode of operation herein will be related. The device is mounted upon a side bar A of a bed A as hereinbeiore mentioned whereby the standard extends in substantially upright position next thebed in a manner such that the member I, when lowered, overlies and is suited to do annoyance to sleepers in the bed. In setting the device for use the spool 2| is rotated whereby the portion of the cable I8 is stored thereon and the member I4 is moved into the position shown in phantom in Fig. 2. In other words, the member I4 is moved into raised but slightly inclined from the vertical position. At such preselected time as the clock 22 is set to function, the spool 2| rotates, unwinding the cable I 8 and permitting the member H to descend by action of gravity into essentially horizontal position as depicted whereby the dependent ticklers I! do annoyance to and arouse sleepers thereunder.

Having thus described the present invention, what it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An 'essentially' silent alarm device comprising a supported standard; a pivotally mounted downwardly swinging member attached to said standard adapted to overlie portions of a bed when the standard is positioned thereagainst; ticklers carried on said member for annoying and awakening a sleeper when the member is in horizontal position; and means for holding the member in raised position comprising a relatively inextensible cable attached to one end to distal parts of the member, a time controlled power driven spool mounted on the standard near the top thereof to which the free end of the cable isattached in a manner such that rotation of the spool causes the member to be raised or lowered.

2. A substantially silent alarm device comprising a standard; a horizontally positionable member pivotally mounted centrally on said standard swingable upwardly thereagainst; ticklers freely downwardly extending from said member for annoying a sleeper when the member is in horizontal position; means for-holding said member in raised position comprising a relatively inextensible cable attached at one end .to distal parts of said member, a. pulley mounted on said standard near the top thereof for receiving said cable, a time controlled power driven spool mounted on said standard near the top thereof to which the free end of said cable is attached in a manner such that rotation of said spool causes said cable to travel over said pulley raising or lowering said member; and a latch for retaining said member in raised position.

' 3. A substantially silent alarm device comprising a standard; a clamp mounted on said standard engageable with side portions of a. bed for holding said standard thereagainst in essentially upright position; a horizontally positionable member pivotally mounted centrally on said standard swingable upwardly thereagainst; ticklers freely downwardly extending from said member for annoying a sleeper when the member is in horizontal position; meanscomprising a projecting bracket mounted on said standardbeneath the place of mounting of said member for limiting the downward swinging motion of said member; means for- -holding said member in raised position comprising a relatively inextensible cable attached at one end to distal parts of said member, a pulley mounted on said standard near the top thereof for receiving said cable, a time controlled powe'r driven spool mounted on said standard near the top thereof to which the free end of said cable is attached in a manner such that rotation of said spool causes said cable to travel over said pulley raising or lowering said member; and a latch for retaining said member in raised position.

BENJAMIN F. MACPHERSON. 

